Dear Paul,
I received your letter this morning regarding Kerrang! and the
zines that I sent. While I appreciate the comments, there are
a few points I still feel the need to address, both concerning
your reply and the latest few issues of Kerrang!
Once more, I'd like to re-iterate that I appreciate you are
in a no win situation. Everytime I finish an issue, if I read
it back, I always spot extra mistakes, or realise something
could have been done better. I guess you can never be entirely
happy with what has been produced.
I'd also like to re-iterate that I am attempting to be
constructive in what I say. They are long drawn out points,
but I also believe they are valid points. I'm not trying
to wage a war here. Music is just something I'm passionate
about.
But anyway, I'd like to return to some of the issues. I'll use
some quotes, which are either directly from your letter, or
the mail message you sent.
Taking the point first about a more balanced coverage.
In your letter you said :
"We have to accept that the more popular a band prove to be with
our readers, the more we will cover them".
This is fair to a point. However, when coverage reaches saturation
point, and something is included seemingly because another mention
just has to be done, then it begins to defeat the purpose. There
becomes a point when seeing the same band over and over with nothing
new, alienates some existing fans, and can certainly have the effect
on non-fans of influencing the mind NOT to check them out. People
simply become sick of it. And that eventually will become detrimental
to the band.
And there is also the point of how did the band become popular in the
first place with the readers? Again, it will depend on the perspective
you wish to take. A band in question, Coal Chamber, you could say are
virtually only popular due to the constant coverage by Kerrang! That's
good on the one hand that you brought a band to peoples attention,
but also proves on the other, that really you have to provide more
balanced coverage, in order to give other bands a fair shot at achieving
some of that popularity.
I'd like to come to the point now about covering new bands.
In your e-mail reply, you said,
>Kerrang! relies to a large extent on the input of its writers to bring new and
>exciting bands to our attention.
When I spoke on the phone, your words were to the effect "Uk bands don't
tell us enough about what they're doing".
This I could believe, however, it smacks of a contradiction. You require
UK bands to inform you, while saying you rely on your writers to find
out.
It may be an idea if you believe that UK bands don't tell you enough, to
include something somewhere within the magazine encouraging them to do
so. Would a (reasonably sizeable) slot per week on a new UK band, allowing
them almost to feature themselves go amiss? There are surely a number
of options on this subject that could be instigated.
It is a problem. For instance, I saw Consumed play last night. Their
support slots to NOFX and Mighty Mighty Bosstones were well received.
Last night for the first few songs, there was 3 of us in the room.
Even the support band and their friends didn't have the decency to
watch the band. It's a reflection of attitudes in the UK. That's why
I feel Kerrang! should actively provide more encouragement to people
to go and check the bands out.
Further on in your letter, you state :
"Contrary to what you might think, we also care passionately about
supporting new bands and uncovering exciting acts. From reading
your fanzine, I notice that you've given space to the like of Far,
Incubus, King Prawn, Medulla Nocte, Cynical Smile and Jack Off
Jill. All of these have been featured through reviews, features and
news items in Kerrang! and will continue to be so. Unfortunately,
much as we'd loke to do eight page on each of them, we simply do
not have that much space to play with each week."
This brings up a number of points.
I do believe you care. I simply believe it doesn't shine through
as readily as it should.
The bands you picked out, well, yes, they have been covered. Not
to a great extent, but they have been. If I remember rightly,
the Incubus / Far feature was pretty much views on each other
rather than any kind of real interview.
Obviously, I could rattle off another list of bands you've not
featured, you could do the same with bands I've not mentioned.
That is frankly a pointless exercise.
It brings us to another point from that quote. About featuring
them across eight pages.
I don't want to see bands across eight pages. Not even the bands
I think are incredible. I'm not trying to say "do more features
on the bands I like". I'm saying balance the coverage. Period.
As I mentioned earlier, there is a saturation point, which if
reached, is detrimental. I'll return to them later, but a case
in point will be System of a Down. I think they are a wonderful
band, but I'm concerned at this point, before it even starts, that
Kerrang! will take the coverage the wrong way and perform blanket
coverage, akin to that of Coal Chamber, which will ultimately
be detrimental to the band. I believe they are deeper than this
current "new metal" scene, with deeper messages, and as such
would like to see them featured accordingly. When featured, I'd
like to see you delve into the band, not skim on the surface.
But that doesn't mean weekly coverage, or 8 page features.
And you said that there are space constraints, so you can't feature
the bands as deeply as maybe you'd like. In which case, why have
you persisted in the pointless exercise of the 100 Whatever series.
Surely here is some space that could be used?
Also, I understand the magazine is trying to broaden the appeal,
and cover the whole spectrum of the scene, but it could be
argued that the coverage of computer games per week, is taking
up space which could be used for covering new bands. It is still
a magazine about the music right?
But one of the most striking things to emerge this week, was the
feature on Sean from White Zombie's new band. This just so flatly
contradicts everything that you said it's unbelievable.
Ok, it's bringing a new band to our attentions. But, 3 pages? How
is that justified? When was the last time that 3 pages were given
over to an unsigned (I may be wrong on this, I'm afraid I couldn't
bring myself to read the article, it so incensed me), no releases,
not toured here, UK band?
Yes, I have given three pages to unknown US bands in the past. The
point is getting it into perspective and balance with the rest
of the issue and what is featured. 3 pages in my zine is not
equivalent to 3 in yours.
Balance is a word that crops up a lot don't you think?
The bands that were quoted above, have all released albums, yet
I believe the largest coverage that they received was 1 page.
I mentioned before a host of UK bands, many of whom you said you'd
featured. British, with albums, touring. They warrant a paragraph
or 1 page at most. Here, we have a band whose sole claim to fame
is the bassist is in another Kerrang! favourite band, and they
get 3 pages.
I'm sorry, but that needs some kind of justification in light of
what you've been saying.
This debate could run forever. I have one more set of points I'd
like to raise. I've probably said enough already, hell, I don't
even know that you'll have read this far.
But the final point is one that is maybe more important even. It's
dealing with truth and honesty.
Returning to the 100 Coolest stars issue. On the cover, I forget
the exact words, was something along the line of "10 Major New
Interviews".
I looked, but I'm sorry, I didn't find 10 interviews, let alone
major new ones. Maybe you could point them out. All of them I
trust being Major.
And this week, the System of a Down giveaway. Don't get me wrong,
I'm pleased more people will have the chance to hear this band.
They are amazing, and you'll have seen from my 'zine that I've
tried to cover them. I hope when they tour the UK I'll get the
chance to do a major kind of interview with them.
However, I do take major exception to the wording of the giveaway.
To quote:
"Hear LA hot-shots System of a Down FIRST with Kerrang!'s killer
tape give-away."
further on:
"... before the whole world starts wanting ...."
Ok, a few facts here. This tape track listing IS exclusive in that
no other tape has been issued with the same 2 tracks. However, it
is NOT the first chance, it is NOT before the rest of the world.
The band admit to have given away 30,000 tapes WORLDWIDE through
street teams. These tapes have include War? (which you do), along
with Know and Peephole.
They have been available in the UK since before Christmas.
Also, a US tour sampler, featuring Slayer and Clutch, has been
available, also in the UK. That also features the track Suit-Pee.
Therefore, you are not first, and you are jumping on the people
that have helped the band out in the past with passing these tapes
on. Yes, it is EXCLUSIVE. Yes, you are giving a much wider audience
the chance to hear them. NO, you are NOT first.
From your e-mail, I'd like to quote :
> ... and we don't sit here patting our own backs seven days a week.
You see, you say that, and then you perform this action. Patting yourselves
that you are giving people in the UK the opportunity to hear something
first solely because of you. You're not. I know for a fact that more
than 500 tapes have been given away in the UK.
The album is available in the UK. Import yes, but I bought my copy
for under 10 pounds.
You ended the letter by saying :
"I hope you keep reading Kerrang!".
Well, therein lies heart of the matter doesn't it? If there was a
weekly alternative then I wouldn't. And I suspect many others feel
the same. But, Kerrang! is the only weekly source of news etc for
this sort of music. We can discount NME and Melody Maker, as their
target audience is different.
Therefore you have readers at your mercy. I read it because it DOES
occasionally throw up an album or band I've not heard of. I only
have very limited resources in comparison.
But BECAUSE it is the only weekly, then it is imperative that the coverage
is fair and balanced and honest to give all an equal chance. It currently
remains outside of those boundaries.
You also quote in the letter, that :
"In recent weeks we've enjoyed some of the best selling issues of the
magazine for a decade ..."
Best selling doesn't necessarily equate to people liking it.
I mentioned before, I'll mention again. A poll. I doubt that the majority
of people unhappy with the magazine will tell you. People don't. So why
not take the opportunity to try and gauge the real opinion. Offer people
the chance to tell you what's wrong with the magazine and what they'd
like to see changed. Rather than asking "what do you like about Kerrang!"
It may seem like approaching from the negative, but ask for criticism
instead of praise on this issue. If people feel that they are really being
asked for input, opinion etc, then maybe they will give it in a manner
where you find out the true feeling. And maybe you can then respond
accordingly.